


Don't Leave Me

by mskatej



Category: Smallville
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-10-20
Updated: 2006-10-20
Packaged: 2017-10-26 14:06:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/284144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mskatej/pseuds/mskatej
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At least they have each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Leave Me

The hallway is dark and dank and it stinks of vomit and piss. Clark stops and listens to Lex’s breathing for a second, then continues walking until he reaches the door. His feelings on this matter are so ambivalent he may as well feel nothing. He opens the door and steps inside the room.

It’s as downtrodden as the rest of the building, unused in years, broken windows and stained walls, floor covered in dust and grime, and Lex in the centre of it, sitting in a chair with his forearms resting on his thighs and his head down.

The smell of whiskey permeates throughout the room.

Lex raises his head slowly and stares black hatred into Clark’s eyes.

“I need to get you out of here,” Clark says. “It’s not safe.”

“Fuck. You.” Lex’s face screams rage, body rigid with hostility, but Clark doesn’t let it get to him.

“I can pick you up and carry you out of here if that’s what you want.”

Lex laughs. “What I want? No. What I want is for you to get out of my life. What I want is for you to leave me the fuck alone.”

“They’ll kill you.”

“I don’t care. Let them try. In the meantime, it’s none of your fucking business.”

“I’m not leaving here without you.”

“What about ‘I hate you’ do you not understand? I don’t need your pity and I don’t need you to save me. You tried that already, remember? And you failed.” A cruel smile. “I’m a lost cause, Clark. Just like you.”

Clark waits for the onslaught to begin.

“Where do you fit in?” Lex continues, standing up, warming up. “No one even cares about you, Clark. And who can blame them? Look at you!” Lex circles him like a vulture, sneering. “Why would anyone want to be with you? That stupid stammer, that ugly suit, those… glasses. And you’re not even good at your job.”

That stings a little because Clark knows he’s a decent reporter even if Perry White isn’t always convinced of the fact.

“Lois barely notices you’re alive and you moon after her like a lovesick teenager. Oh God, how is it possible that underneath those revolting clothes you haven’t changed a bit?” Lex stops and stands in front of Clark, lip curled up in disdain. “Of course, Lois isn’t interested in you. She’s too busy obsessing over your equally badly dressed alter ego.” Contemptuous laughter. “He’s just a celebrity, Clark. No one really cares about Superman. He’s just a celebrity freak.”

Lex’s eyes glaze over slightly and he sways back and forth. “You’re all alone, Clark.”

Silence.

“At least we have each other,” Clark says.

“Why can’t you just leave me alone?” Lex asks, sounding sad and defeated.

“You know I can’t. Come on, we don’t have much time.” Clark moves to take Lex’s arm but Lex backs away and the fury is back in his eyes.

“You hate me as much as I hate you. Don’t insult my intelligence by pretending otherwise.”

Clark offers Lex a half-smile. “I don’t hate you,” he says, unsure whether that’s true or not.

Lex smiles back. “Yes you do. You’ve hated me ever since I took Lana off you.” He seems pleased with that retort.

Clark raises his eyebrows and holds back a laugh. “Lex,” he says, not even attempting to keep the mocking tone out of his voice. “I hate to tell you this, but I really don’t care about that anymore.” He tilts his head. “You’re going to have to aim a little lower if you want to get a rise out of me.”

Lex looks up at him sharply, his smile fading, and he takes a step towards Clark again. They stare into each other’s eyes, hostility bristling around them, between them, but Clark feels alive. He always feels wonderfully alive when he’s dealing with Lex.

“I wonder…” Lex says. “Will I get to kill you before you kill me?”

“One thing at a time, Lex. Let me save you first.”

There are footsteps in the distance, a lot of them, running, and they’re getting louder by the second.

Lex grabs hold of the lapels of Clark’s suit jacket. “Get me out of here,” he whispers.

Clark scoops him up and says quietly into his ear, “You’ll never kill me, Lex.”

They escape the building unseen in a blur of speed.


End file.
